Lolidrobe Reassessment Post 2019.2

And just like this spring has also come and gone, moving us into summer.

New additions

Somehow I feel like I just can’t stop shopping this year. There certainly has been a lot of emphasis on the retail aspect of ‘retail therapy’.

• 1 JSK (1 Gothic in black*)
• 1 skirt (Classic/otome in beige)
• 3 tops (1 Classic/Gothic in wine*, 1 Sweet in white and 1 Sweet in pink*)
• 2 cardigans (1 Sweet in blue, 1 Sweet in mint)
• 1 underskirt (Sweet in white x gold)
• 2 pairs of socks (1 Sweet in red x white and 1 Classic/Oldschool in ivory)
• 2 pairs of shoes (1 pair of Gothic in black and 1 pair of Classic in ivory)
• 5 wigs* (1 blonde ringlet, 1 long wavy black, 1 long wavy blonde, 1 short brown and 1 brown half wig)
• and 10 sets of accessories (1 Sweet ring in pink, 1 Sweet ring in red, 1 Gothic headband in black, 1 Classic headbow in brown, 1 Sweet headbow in navy, 2 Classic brooches in grey/lavender*, 1 Classic floral hair clip in blue, 1 Sweet necklace in red x white, 1 Classic hat in dusty sax x pink).

Is it just me or does it actually look modest on this picture?
Click to enlarge.

And yet looking at it doesn’t feel like quite so bad? True, some of these were impulse buys (cough wigs cough), but 27 items in total over the last three months isn’t that unreasonable in a fashion focused on hoarding and getting more. I still feel like I should curb it though. Might happen naturally, as I have some lifestyle changes coming ahead...

I’m not picturing the wigs because boxes aren’t particularly exciting and wigs taken out, not on a display stand, just look weird. You can refer to the specific post about them if you want to see what they look like.

Possible new looks

That mint cardigan was something I was really looking forward to. Since wearing Diner Doll to January’s meet, I’ve been feeling the pastel sweet yet again and wanting to do more pastel looks. And as basic as that white cutsew is, it is replacing my Peter Pan collar blouse. In other words, while these aren’t necessarily new looks that I can do with what I have, I am now able to do some of them again – and hopefully more comfortably too thanks to it being a cutsew rather than a blouse. I guess the wigs would be what transforms my outfits the most, but they photograph terribly on flatlays, so not going to show that.

Replacement progress

The ‘How to make my lolidrobe go even further?’ section started being a bit repetitive, so I’m switching it out for something different. My original plan was to do a 6-months-on update on how I’m getting on with my replacements from the wish/need/replace list, but it might make more sense to utilise this space for that. I guess we’re at halfway point of the year anyway… Hopefully, it will keep things a little more organised and consistent. If at any point I decide that there is something new that my wardrobe could benefit with, I will either add it to the wishlist or will restore the section altogether.

At the beginning of the year I identified 10 pieces that I would like to replace (and 1 to be altered). Most of these were for the same items, but with better fit and/or quality, while some were to be replaced with slightly different bits. As it stands, I have managed to get rid of 8 out of those 10, which is a great achievement considering how sales are a bit unpredictable right now. (I was convinced that the British Crown OP would fly, and yet it took its time.) On the other hand, I have replaced precisely 3 items – the gold heels, the white Peter Pan collar blouse and the pink one, which is actually a pre-order and hasn’t arrived yet. My original plan involved getting some of these replacement bits from Chinese brands like Infanta, yet I found them to be sold out in my size and preferred colourways on their Taobao storefront, as well as many of the resellers (not to mention the price markup).

At the same time, my slower pace of replacing these reflects the fact that I am keen on quality and good fit, and would rather wait for the right piece to appear than get something just for the sake of it. This should ensure that I am much happier with my wardrobe and therefore more likely to use these pieces in coordinates. Although fighting the frustration of “Oooh, I could do that outfit – oh no, wait, I don’t have that blouse anymore” is hard sometimes.

The picture below is a snapshot of how these replacements are coming along so far, with what’s been sold and what’s been replaced, as well as any other comments that may have come up in the meantime. 

Click to enlarge, if something is not legible.

Current wishlist

Not many dents made in the wishlist since the last time, but a few bits have been added. I also got rid of many of the pieces that I temporarily added when I was going to Japan, as I’m just not feeling them anymore. As a result this wishlist is back to being much more cohesive – for now, at least.

By the way, if any of you find that crepe necklace in mint, then please, let me know. Every time I tried to get it, it sold out instantly!
Click to enlarge.

New Year’s goals: progress summary

Maybe I’m being pessimistic, but I’m feeling like this year has not been good to my goals so far.

1. Did I wait a minimum of 48 hours before purchasing something outside of my wishlist: No. Some bits caught me off guard, some I genuinely jumped at impulsively.
2. Did I buy anything outside of my wish/need/replace list prior to going to Japan: Yes. See post 2019.1 for more details.
3. Did I do a wardrobe cull: Still trying to offload bits (so if you’re curious, check out my Lacemarket), as well as got rid of some offbrand bits I no longer use. This is a work in progress.
4. Did I learn how to crop cardigans: No. And at this point I decided to ditch this goal altogether.
5. Did I wear lolita at least once while in Japan: Yes, more in 2019.1 post.
6. Did I take part in 1 outfit prompt challenge: I have finally started! I know that I won’t finish it by the end of this year, which is fine. I’m enjoying the creative process and doing it the way I had originally envisioned, so I’m sticking with it and not putting any extra pressure on myself.

I still can’t believe that we’re over halfway through the year. It’s going in a flash and it’s simultaneously scary and exciting. Feels like there’s still so much to be getting on with – and before we know it, Christmas will slap us in the face once again!